apakett
Member
Yes, I understand the acquisition part. You mentioned
What about handoff to Auto Area? Is there still a difference?
Nikon published a wildlife guide for the Z8/Z9
- Thread starter Erik
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When I handoff to 3D, I’m following a specific subject detail on which I want to stay focused. That detail is usually a head or eye. If I lose the subject for some reason (it moved behind a tree or a rock), I have Focus Tracking with lock-on (a3) set to 4 or 5 to give AF a chance to reacquire. I wouldn’t handoff to Auto Area. Auto Area would be a primary area mode not one to which I’d handoff.
What is the scenario you have in mind?
apakett
Member
Thom Hogan and I believe Steve Perry, in their Z8 books, recommended starting in Auto Area to capture a subject, such as a bird. After tracking starts hand off to 3D. They claim that 3D tracks better than Auto Area. Is that still true with the latest firmware update?
As I mentioned earlier, 3D tracks well but it’s a challenge to get the small focus box over the head/eye of a moving subject without using handoff from Wide S/L, one of the custom areas, or Auto Area. I haven’t noticed any change using FW 5.00.
Yes, Steve recommends Auto Area as a primary area mode in most situations.
apakett
Member
You are talking about the system finding and capturing a subject. I agree with that part. The process most of us use is to hand off to a tracking mode where tracking utilized the entire frame. What works best for that? Previously it was 3D. Has Auto Area caught up?
I suspect that few Nikon mirrorless wildlife photographers handoff to Auto Area.
With Bird AF, I shot diving Ospreys, Spoonbills, and all other birds in Auto area. Never needed to hand off.
I didn’t encounter (yet) the need for 3D in favor of Auto area. Firsr lock with Bird AF is way better than ever before.
I didn’t encounter (yet) the need for 3D in favor of Auto area. Firsr lock with Bird AF is way better than ever before.
fcotterill
Well-known member
AutoAF mode extends the CFP (closest focus priority) of the Group Area modes across the entire AF search area. As in the Pro DSLRs (D6, D5 Triumvirate), AutoAF is very useful in the Z9 to track an erratic subject against distant backgrounds, open water etc
AutoAF: clutter in the scene, including twigs etc, will often discombobulate AutoAF off the subject, although the Z9 subject detection buffers this tendency somewhat. But subject detection has its limits, obviously. However, when it works, Auto is stickier on subjects closer to frame borders, compared to 3D;
3D Tracking: works better in the Z9 at tracking the subject within/against clutter, especially with Subject Detection. IME the D6 AF modes follow this general rule, although D6 subject detection is weaker, its AF modes are far less likely to grab the background (thanks to the full set of cross-type sensors).
So as a rough rule, the background/habitat structure determines whether to Hand off from a tighter AF mode (I use a Custom Area) to AutoAF or 3D.
Any AF mode will struggle if the subject is too small in the frame.
AutoAF: clutter in the scene, including twigs etc, will often discombobulate AutoAF off the subject, although the Z9 subject detection buffers this tendency somewhat. But subject detection has its limits, obviously. However, when it works, Auto is stickier on subjects closer to frame borders, compared to 3D;
3D Tracking: works better in the Z9 at tracking the subject within/against clutter, especially with Subject Detection. IME the D6 AF modes follow this general rule, although D6 subject detection is weaker, its AF modes are far less likely to grab the background (thanks to the full set of cross-type sensors).
So as a rough rule, the background/habitat structure determines whether to Hand off from a tighter AF mode (I use a Custom Area) to AutoAF or 3D.
Any AF mode will struggle if the subject is too small in the frame.
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Very well described.
My wife tried the Bird AF Auto area Z8, 70-200+2xTC+DX = 600mm
At 20fps, 50% were out of focus in favor of the water. With the 600pf it kept on grabbing to the wings, or it need a smaller AF box?
Is the TC degrading the AF recognition?
All though this shot seems ok, but a frame before and after are not. (I don’t have it handy)
Attached are 2 shots which I have handy on my iPhone downloaded on the airplane from camera via an app.
Untouched, unedited, just converted to jpg.
My wife tried the Bird AF Auto area Z8, 70-200+2xTC+DX = 600mm
At 20fps, 50% were out of focus in favor of the water. With the 600pf it kept on grabbing to the wings, or it need a smaller AF box?
Is the TC degrading the AF recognition?
All though this shot seems ok, but a frame before and after are not. (I don’t have it handy)
Attached are 2 shots which I have handy on my iPhone downloaded on the airplane from camera via an app.
Untouched, unedited, just converted to jpg.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
fcotterill
Well-known member
AutoAF is likely to grab on to other texture in both scenes (even ruffled water), quite possibly because the bird's head is too small for SD to stick to in each scene.
This is where I prefer a Group AF mode, a long rectangular CA of 1*9 or 1*11 works better by anchoring the search area of SD around the subject's head, and pick up the eye (hopefully).
Doubtful IMHO
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Hard to keep an Ospray on such a small frame